More Global Warming Bologna

            We watched more global warming videos in environmental chemistry.  In one of them, the president of the Maldives discusses his worry about the ocean level rising and eventually consuming hos country, and yes they say its all due to carbon dioxide emissions, ''global warming''.  He says the richer countries are committing genocide against his people by not decreasing their carbon dioxide emissions.  He also asks for money from the richer country's just in case his country would get destroyed.  Hmmmmmmmmmmm, do you think he may just want money?  He is accusing the richer countries of committing genocide, but there is no scientific proof that global warming is caused by carbon dioxide emissions.  However, as I have discussed in earlier blogs, there is scientific proof that global warming is NOT caused by carbon dioxide.  Bet he doesn't feel so smart now.  I do not thing he should worry about global warming.  If his shorelines are depleting, it will probably never destroy his country.  The earth knows what its doing, its been doing it much longer than any of us has been here to affect it, and the country is still here so.... no worries. 
            We also watched a video that talked about human caused global warming, but it did not actually show scientific proof that it is reality.  There were simply ''scientests'' that were discussing why we are so horrible and why we need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and how the ice in the Arctic is melting.  Are we supposed  to believe them just because they have the title ''scientist''?  The ice in the Arctic melts and refreezes every day.  The video stated that the ice in the Arctic is melting and will eventually disappear.  When this happens, they fear that the cycle of water that brings warmer temperature north of the equator will stop or slow.  This cycle involves the water of the ocean flowing from the equator to the Arctic.  Once the warm water cools in the Arctic, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean, traveling back to the equator.  The Arctic ice plays a major role in cooling the warm water and allowing it to sink and travel back to the equator, bringing warmer weather north.  However, the ''scientists'' don't give any scientific proof about anything.  I don't believe a word they say.  Do you?

Global Warming MYTH

In environmental chemistry we watched a video that proved that global warming is a myth.  That's right, there is no scientific evidence that can prove that carbon dioxide is linked to the warming of the earth.  I have always thought it was a myth.  In fact studies have shown that the sun and the clouds are the ones who play a great role in the temperature of the earth.  Greenhouse gases are not the cause of the temperature rise of the earth.  They make up a very very small portion of the earth's atmosphere.  The temperature of the earth is simply natural and                                                                it follows a pattern.  During the time when carbon dioxide production was at an all time high, the earths temperature was COOLER!  People were afraid that the earth was going to have another ice age.  The global warming THEORY is proven to be extremely political.  So next time you hear about the global warming scare, laugh and listen to the scientists with the British accents, don't worry, its all a myth.

Natural Disasters

After we presented our natural disasters in environmental chemistry, I realized that there are many different types of natural disaster.  There are not only tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, earthquakes and floods.  There are also mud and landslides, volcanic eruptions, and heatwaves.  In most cases, natural disasters are devastating and destructive.  Many lives are usually lost.  Scientests are working on ways to better predict natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.  Scary stuff.

Poor Japan

In environmental chemistry we watched a documentary on the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 2011.  I found it both amazing and horrifying.  Amazing, because of the insane power of nature.  Horrifying, because of all the damage and loss of lives.  I believe that this event can help scientists better understand earthquakes and tsunamis and how to predict them.  This disaster is simillar to the Galvestion Hurricane of  1900 that killed around 6000 people in Galvestion, Texas.  Very, very,bad stuff. 

Mad Cows

In environmental chemistry, I am doing a prezi about mad cow disease. It turns out it is some scary stuff. It affects the cows nervous system and makes them act strange and loose their ability to walk.  It can spread to humans if they eat the brain and/or spinal tissue, or the meat surrounding it. TIME FOR SUPPER!!!!! TASTY!!!!   that is also how it passes from cow to cow.  I know you are probably thinking WHAT!?!? COWS EAT OTHER COWS BRAINS AND SPINAL TISSUE!?!?  but there are other ways a cow can unknowingly eat fellow cows brains.  People mix useful cow parts into their feed.  The poor moo cows have to eat their fellow cows brain.....I'm very happy I'm not a cow. The disease effects the human nervous system as well.  It can cause dementia and it is fatal.  So if I were you I would keep cow brains and spinal tissue out of your diet for good.

The Power of Poop

We read an article about a Pennsylvania farmer who installed a digester (a covered container that heats manure breaking it down and producing methane gas, which can be used for heat and electricity) on his farm.  He uses the manure from his 500 dairy cows on his farm to make enough methane to power and heat his farm, and power around 100 homes in the Central Pennsylvania valley.  Now that's a lot of dookie.  He gets a check from the electric company every year.  Lucky dog.  He can use the digester and its byproducts to heat his home and milk house, supply bedding for his cows, fertilizer his fields, pasteurize the milk he feeds his calves  and dry his corn. Helpful isn't it, it also helps the environment  YAY!  You can get electricity from poop, who knew?  I think this is a very good thing for farmers, except for the fact that a digester costs around a million dollars so its not exactly for everyone, but if u can spare a million bucks then, hey, why not help yourself and the environment....if you own a farm, of course.  I still think this is amazing that we can now turn our waste into power and other useful things, with a little help from bacteria and heat.

Water Testing

In environmental chemistry, I tested water from two different sources for different ions that could potentially harm us.  The first source I tested was the water fountain water in my school.  It all came back negative. So no one is going to die from taking a drink out of the water fountain. That's a plus.  The second water source I tested was from a sulfur creek down the road from where I live. I tested both water sources for carbonate, chloride, chromate, iron III, lead, phosphate, and sulfate. All of which are bad for your health.I expected my creek water to test positive for iron and sulfate, and it did.  YUMMY STUFF!!!!!!  The pollution is point source pollution, it is drainage from the abandoned mines that are everywhere around where I live.  No fish live in this creek, bugs don't even accumulate around it, so the water cant be good.  Think about the disgusting water bugs like to be around.  The creek water is even too bad for the bugs.  We have wells that we used to use for our hose water.  We would use it to give our animals water.  If the mine drainage seeped into the well water, it couldn't have been good for our animals, or anything else that drank the water.  This worries me.



This is the results of my water testing.  The wells on the left side show an example of a fully positive reaction.  The wells on the right show the reaction of my creek water.  You can see the reactions for iron and sulfur are positive.



Chromium III vs. Chromium VI

In environmental chemistry we watched the movie Erin Brockovitch.  The movie is about the court case of  Hinkley vs. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The people of Hinkley, California were being poisoned with chromium VI in their drinking water. PG&E used chromium VI which causes fatal diseases and health effects such as cancer and infertility, and told the residents that it was chromium III which is vital to the body to avoid heart conditions.  Erin was a single mother and get a job at a small lawyers firm.  While working there she uncovers that PG&E is poisoning the residents of Hinkley by allowing chromium VI to pollute their ground water. Chromium III (good chromium) is vital to your body in small amounts, however, too much of a good thing is often bad, and if you are exposed to too much chromium III it can cause negative health effects.  Chromium VI is all around bad stuff, it can cause a wide variety of cancers, and just about any other disease you can think of.  The movie Erin Brockovitch is based on a true story. I would like to know how people can sleep at night knowing that they could stop the deaths of many innocent people, I surely couldn't.

My Water

I get my water from Mountain Water Association in Smithfield, Pa. and for our environmental chem assignment we had to research what was in our drinking water.  I found out that there are six chemicals detected two of which are above the health limit.  The chemicals are halo acetic acids, trihalomethanes, xylene's, ethyl benzene, nitrate, and beryllium.YUMMY!!!! Some of these chemicals can cause injury to the brain, nerves, liver, kidneys, eyes,and reproductive systems.  Some may increase the risk of cancer, and may decrease fertility and cause spontaneous abortion YIKES!!!!  Some have been linked to blood effects including leukemia!!! Now these effects are only possible if you are exposed to these chemicals when they are over the health limit and when they are exposed over time so don't be so scared.  It may not be as bad as drinking sewage.... but if things keep going the way they are, it could soon be that bad.  My water doesn't taste bad, but it does have a light metallic taste to it.  It makes me wonder if I should continue drinking my water. Hopefully i don't die of cancer at age 40 because of drinking something that is supposed to be good for me.  It shows what the world is turning to.